Chicken of the Sea tuna price-fixing $20M class action lawsuit settlement

Who Qualifies: The tuna price fixing class action lawsuit settlement benefits indirect purchasers of Chicken of the Sea tuna products who purchased the products in certain states and territories between June 1, 2011, and July 1, 2015. Eligible products may have been packaged in cans or pouches smaller than 40 ounces.

Potential Award: Varies

Proof of Purchase Required: No

Claim Deadline: 8/22/2022

Updates:

• The court has certified a class in the ongoing litigation with non-settling defendants StarKist, Lion Capital, Lion America and Big Catch.
• Those who already opted out of the settlement with Chicken of the Sea do not need to file another opt-out.
• The deadline to opt out is July 17, 2023.

• Final approval for this class action settlement was granted July 15, 2022.
• Let Top Class Actions know when you receive a check in the comments section below or on our Facebook page.

Chicken of the Sea agreed to pay $20 million to resolve class action lawsuit claims it worked with other tuna companies to artificially raise the price of tuna products, and Class Members do not need proof of purchase to make a claim.

The settlement benefits indirect purchasers of Chicken of the Sea tuna products who purchased the products in certain states and territories between June 1, 2011, and July 1, 2015. Eligible products may have been packaged in cans or pouches smaller than 40 ounces.

States and territories included in the settlement Class are Arizona, Arkansas, California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Chicken of the Sea is one of the most prominent suppliers of canned tuna products and has been providing these products for over 100 years. According to the company’s website, Chicken of the Sea focuses on protecting the ocean, encouraging seafood sustainability, and also providing the “freshest, best-tasting seafood the oceans have to offer.”

According to legal action against Chicken of the Sea and other tuna distributors, the company allegedly worked with other companies to artificially raise the cost of canned and pouch tuna products.

In 2018, plaintiffs took legal action against Chicken of the Sea, StarKist, and other tuna companies in an antitrust class action lawsuit. 

According to the consumers, these companies violated federal antitrust law by conspiring together to fix the price of canned tuna products. 

As a result of the alleged antitrust agreement, both direct and indirect purchasers were allegedly forced to pay a higher price for tuna products than they would have in a fair market. The plaintiffs contend these actions caused financial damage to themselves and other purchasers. 

Chicken of the Sea did not admit any wrongdoing but agreed to resolve these claims with three settlements totaling around $40 million. 

Tuna price-fixing settlement benefits

Of this total, indirect tuna purchasers can benefit from a lawsuit settlement worth $20 million.

Under the terms of the settlement, indirect purchasers can collect a proportional share of the settlement fund for every 200 cans they purchased. 

According to the settlement website, payments are estimated to be $10.50 for every 200 cans purchased. Payments will only be distributed if they are at least $5.

Although the settlement resolves Class Members’ legal rights to take action against Chicken of the Sea for alleged tuna price fixing, it does not resolve all pending claims in this multidistrict litigation. Specifically, plaintiffs and Class Members retain their claims against StarKist and Lion America — two remaining defendants who have not settled these claims.

The deadline for exclusion and objection in the settlement is May 13, 2022. 

The court will decide on the settlement’s fairness at the final approval hearing scheduled for July 15, 2022.

In order to receive a payment from the tuna price fixing class action lawsuit settlement, Class Members must submit a valid claim form by Aug. 22, 2022.

Who’s Eligible

The settlement benefits indirect purchasers of Chicken of the Sea tuna products who purchased the products in certain states and territories between June 1, 2011, and July 1, 2015. Eligible products may have been packaged in cans or pouches smaller than 40 ounces.

Potential Award

Varies

Proof of Purchase

No proof of purchase applicable

Claim Form

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

08/22/2022

Case Name

In Re: Packaged Seafood Products Antitrust Litigation, Case No. 15-MD-2670 DMS (MDD), in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California

Final Hearing

07/15/2022

Settlement Website

TunaEndPurchaserSettlement.com

Claims Administrator

Tuna End Purchaser Settlement
c/o JND Legal Administration
P.O. Box 91442
Seattle, WA 98111
info@TunaEndPurchaserSettlement.com
866-615-0977

Class Counsel

Fred Taylor Isquith
Thomas H Burt
WOLF HALDENSTEIN ADLER FREEMAN & HERZ LLP

Defense Counsel

John Roberti
ALLEN & OVERY LLP

John Terzaken
SIMPSON THACHER BARTLETT LLP